Selling an old or dead Buick Roadmaster

If your Roadmaster sedan or Estate Wagon won't start, won't stop, or needs more than it's worth, we buy whole non-running and junk cars. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.

The car in NHTSA's file

The Roadmaster name is old. Wikipedia lists its first production run as 1935-1942, and the photo above shows one of those early sedans. The cars this page covers are the eighth generation, which the EPA lists from 1990 to 1996 as the Roadmaster, Roadmaster Wagon and Estate Wagon.

Wikipedia's infobox for that generation lists a 5.0 L L03 V8, a 4-speed 4L60 automatic and the GM B platform, shared with the Buick Estate. It was built at Arlington Assembly in Texas, sedans from 1992 to 1996 and wagons from 1994 to 1996. The same article gives 6,729 wagons for 1991, then 59,712 sedans and 11,019 wagons for 1992, a total of 70,731.

Problems by model year

These Roadmaster counts come from what owners reported to NHTSA, read on October 10, 2026. Every report is a single owner's account, not a rating. Where a recall gives a vehicle total, that total is for the entire campaign, and GM often put several of its cars into one campaign.

1991-1992: brakes, belts and the hood

The 1992 is the busiest year in the file: 87 complaints, with the hydraulic service brakes named 23 times, seat belts 10 and air bags 9. A later recall points at the same brakes. Campaign 97V217, filed in 1997 for the 1992 model year, says corrosion on the anti-lock brake modulator can let fluid escape from the front brake circuit. Dealers were to inspect it and replace the modulator. That campaign counts 56,701 vehicles.

Two more recalls cover both 1991 and 1992. Under 91V186, the secondary hood latch can corrode, making the hood hard to release or keeping it from latching. Under 92V094, the plastic cover on the shoulder belt guide loop can crack and expose the steel plate underneath. Those campaigns count 224,588 and 219,571 vehicles, far more than Buick built as Roadmasters, so they likely include other GM cars too.

1993: a quieter year

The 1993 has 46 complaints and no recall campaigns listed. Air bags (9), service brakes (7) and visibility (6) come up most.

1994: five recalls in one year

The 1994 has 85 complaints, and the electrical system leads with 18. Brakes follow at 13, then engine and engine cooling at 9. It also has the most recalls of any Roadmaster year, tied with the 1995:

• 94V049: the engine oil cooler inlet hose may sit too close to the steering gear. Chafing can wear through its sleeve and leak oil onto the engine.
• 94V210: fuel tank strap fasteners weren't tightened properly. They can come loose and let the tank sag until it strikes the road.
• 94V076: paint on the wheel mounting surfaces can let lug nuts loosen as the car is driven.
• 95V082 (1994-1995): the accelerator pedal can bind with too much friction in the cold.
• 96V019 (1994-1995): the front lower ball joint nuts may not have been torqued and can loosen.

1995-1996: suspension, steering and lug nuts

The 1995 has 50 complaints, led by suspension (7), electrical (6) and vehicle speed control (5). Its recalls include the cold-weather pedal and ball joint campaigns above, plus 95V221 for a shift linkage that was set wrong, 95V215 for two warning labels on the same sun visor, and 96V245 for lug nuts not tightened at the factory.

The 1996 has 52 complaints, with steering (7) at the top. Its two recalls are the sun visor labels and the lug nuts. That makes two separate lug nut recalls in three years, so on a 1994-1996 car, check the wheels before you tow it on them.

Complaints and recalls by year

One complaint is filed under 1989, a year the EPA data doesn't list. No complaints are listed for 1990. Fire comes up in 8 complaints over the years; no Roadmaster complaint reports a death. Some recalls cover two model years, so they count in both rows.

Fix it or sell it?

The newest Roadmaster is now 30 model years old, so the question is rarely about one repair. Then hold that quote up next to what a running Roadmaster sells for.

1. Pull the recall history for your VIN on NHTSA's site to see which campaigns were done.
2. Brakes gone soft or leaking? On a 1992, the ABS modulator recall is the first thing to ask a dealer about. Our bad brakes guide covers the rest.
3. Has it sat for years? Old fuel, flat tires and dead batteries add up. See sitting for years before you spend on it.
4. Thinking of restoring it? Read old project car first.

Selling a Roadmaster whole

1. Tell us which body it is. Sedan or Estate Wagon, the year, the mileage, and what's wrong.
2. Say how it sits. Does it roll? Do the tires hold air? Is it in a garage, a driveway or a field? On a 115.9-inch wheelbase, the truck crew needs to know how much room there is.
3. Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Leave it as it is. Sell the whole car as it sits, with the V8 and all four wheels on it. If someone already pulled parts, list them.
5. Find the title. If it's gone, read selling with no title first. After the sale, after you sell covers plates and insurance by state.

Other big Buicks from the same years: the LeSabre, Park Avenue and Century, or see every Buick we cover.